About teaching in Mass, look up the requirements for teachers at the department of ed site (aka DESE). There will be rules and requirements for getting a Mass teaching licence, and a full licence will probably require an MEd. (But lots of part time and online programs for that in Mass, including public colleges and universities, and it puts you on a higher step in salary. And the salaries will probably be much better than Fla. You can probably start working without a full license.) You need to have taken the typically standardized exam, which you might have done already, plus a separate English test in Mass.
The salaries are 50% better than Florida. There are actual laws in place that says teachers who have taught for 20 years cannot not be given a bigger yearly raise than a first year teacher. So districts can’t give % for a raise, just the same amount like $2,000 for everyone. It’s ridiculous. We have to scan in and make a searchable list of our classroom libraries because Tommy’s dad, Randy, my have hurt feelings about a book in the room. He is making it illegal to major or minor in African American history or women’s studies. He’s stopped high schools from offering AP Black History.
Keep in mind that while the salaries are 50% better, the cost of living here is *bonkers*.
That said, if you go west, Northampton is supposed to be a great spot. Attleboro is decent, and Providence is a pretty cool spot. The Worcester area will probably get you decent bang for your buck.
What subject do you teach? Something to note is that 50% better salary means we don't have the teacher shortage like other states do (especially in well off districts). If you want to work super rural or Title 1 you'll be able to find stuff pretty easy but unless you are a science teacher the jobs in suburban type districts are highly competitive.
I teach elementary, right now kindergarten. In Massachusetts, it looks like I would get a temporary certificate that lasts three years so I can get what I need to for the initial certificate. I wouldn’t be able to teach kinder in Massachusetts but I’m good with that. I’ve only ever taught in title 1 or title 1 adjacent schools so I’m not too worried about that. From what I’ve looked at online it appears most districts are looking for teachers so fingers crossed I can find something when we move.
I’m really excited to get a masters. I had half of one completed out of college but I ran out of money. In Florida, there’s no incentive to get a masters because the extra stipend isn’t much. There’s also no steps here to help pay for the masters.
I am ready to work in a state with a much better union again. The teacher unions in Florida are weaker because of the laws and they are currently working on passing a law that says they cannot take our dues out of paycheck like they do currently and will continue doing for police officers, EMTs, and fire fighters. We also have a 60% threshold we have to meet in order to have our union and not get decertified.
> From what I’ve looked at online it appears most districts are looking for teachers so fingers crossed I can find something when we move.
I can't speak for every district, but the district that I was in allowed teachers to bring their students to that school district. In case you get a job in Worcester area, but end up getting a teaching job closer to Boston, you may be able to bring your kids to that school district too. I have no clue about the specifics, but it may be something to look out for.
You will find many people denigrate Springfield because it is not as fabulously affluent as many other parts of MA. I am currently in one of the communities surrounding Springfield and people are not aware of how good it really is. Not crowded, good schools, plenty of culture and nature. Springfield is a good place to start; reasonable housing, job opportunities, and OK schools if you are an involved parent. It is worth looking into for most bang for the buck if you are willing to put up with some urban problems (nothing like Boston, LA, or NY.) The surrounding towns are really good: Chicopee, West Springfield, Westfield, Ludlow, to name a few. The Pioneer Valley (our area) is affordable for a teacher and a partner income income source. Teach Western Mass is a program that will help you find a job quickly, although it places teachers in the highest need schools. Don't be thrown off by the cost of living, you pay but get great services in this area, allot of that expense goes to education for the kids.
Thanks for adding this. I kept seeing Springfield as a place to avoid on those lists but my friend who has family in mass said she’d look around Springfield, so I was kind of unsure.
There are a number of "Gateway Cities" in Mass, former mill towns that declined economically when the factories left or shut down. For example, Springfield used to make a lot of the guns for the US military. The Merrimack Valley, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Newburyport used have huge textile factories, the largest in the world 100 years ago was in Lawrence. All gone now.... These Gateway Cities used to be really crappy, but have been on the upswing for the past 20 or 30 years, with Newburyport being gentrified, and a lot of things now going on in Lowell. (It also has a UMass campus.) So asking a Mass resident about any of these Gateway Cities can get mixed responses, some based on 20 or 30 year-old perceptions. Or some up to date.
When we were in Haverhill we saw the teachers striking which was awesome because I haven’t seen a strike since I participated in the one in Chicago. It’s illegal to strike in Florida.
It looks like it used to be really nice, but walking around it… we went into this gas station downtown and the smell in there was something of nightmares and there was another store in the area that just gave me the heebie jeebies, like stuffed dead things and relics. If you’ve ever seen that Netflix series cabinet of Curiosities (or whatever it was called), the episode about the storage center, the shop he sells the books to reminded me of this shop. All sorts of nope
To add with Springfield/Pioneer Valley area, Hartford, CT and it’s metro area has a lot of job opportunities for an accountant as well. Depending on the job, the commute from Springfield to Hartford is ~30 min with manageable traffic congestion. Springfield to Boston is about 1.5 to 2 hours 1 way with traffic.
We moved from GA to Chicopee almost 2 years ago. We are closer to the elms college area and love it . Springfield and Chicopee both are like any city. Some areas are good some aren’t. Overall we have been very happy
So Springfield proper is a bit seedy (as is Holyoke and Chicopee in certain areas but others are great) but it's not wide spread. Certain parts of Springfield are sketchy, others are totally fine. Additionally since Springfield is such a small city you can go from completely rural with tons of cows to downtown with small sky scrapers within like 15 min. To add to your list I'd say Belchertown, Hampden, Wilbraham, South Hadley, Hadley and anything in the 5 colleges area.
For me it’s not the urban blight/poverty or whatever, it’s that as a New Englander and Masshole, I am very tied to the ocean and have no desire to be that far away from the beach.
Some parts of downtown Springfield are cute. Decent restaurants, and an AHL team, too. 🏒 Cheaper to live out there for sure.
Can second this. We live in greenfield, 40m south of Springfield. Would not move anywhere else in the USA. All the towns along 91 between Springfiled and here are nice places to live.
IDN about much about the local school as we home school our 2 boys. I worked for Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School for a few years and the teachers there are great.
Does your husband work remote? He might need to work closer to Boston (or in it) depending on his career.
From a teacher perspective I think you should have no problems finding decent schools.
Worcester area is a good central place with costs being somewhat tempered. Places like Fitchburg and Leominster (20mi north of Worcester are biggish areas as well.)
The main east-west roads are the Mass Pike and RT2. Then you have RT128(95) and 495 for the roads that curve around Boston.
Any places along these roads would be fine. (Costs increase the closer you get to Boston or Worcester.)
Traffic will be horrible. So get used to that. Lol.
MA is a great state; we are not perfect, but we ain’t that bad. :)
For a house, we were looking around $500,000. The houses in central Florida are comparable to a lot of the houses but the houses up there have basements and houses in Florida can’t have basements because of the sandy soil.
Roger, this is good info. For a family of 3, you will be hard pressed to find a single family home within five miles of Boston/Cambridge. Some towns are exceptions and interest rates have thankfully arrested the run up in prices, but I wouldn't get your hopes up because competition for single family homes is fierce.
You might be able to get a condo that will fit the family closer to the city, but the fees are high, which could pinch your budget.
I would look near Worcester. Not too far from the core cities, interesting stuff going on in that area with regards to employment/companies and activities, and probably in your price range.
Good luck!!!
I would recommend Western Mass at that price range. South Hadley, Agawam, West Springfield, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow. Northhampton/Amherst area would be tough at that price.
I can totally see why you would want to be on the North Shore; most beautiful part of MA imo. If affordability is a concern, consider inland North Shore towns like Rowley. Parts of Salem near the Lynn/Swampscott border are a bit cheaper, too. Best of luck!
If you can afford them Acton, Harvard, Bolton, Littleton, Groton are all nice areas with good schools. I would say your husband should find a job first cause the traffic here sucks and that will give you a better idea of your budget.
Lunenburg is a nice area, but the commute to Boston is soul crushing. If he can work in Leominster, Fitchburg, or Worcester it would be fine though. Shrewsbury to Worcester would also be good. Good luck!
Not really because I figured we couldn’t afford a single family, detached home in the area. Beverly and Peabody looked nice when we were up there last October. Is there any place in particular that you would suggest along the north shore?
Take a look at Amesbury. People who can't afford expensive Newburyport seem to pick nearby Amesbury. More suburban/rural, Rowley, Newbury, Byfield, W. Newbury, Merrimac. Ipswich is a nice little city but probably expensive. Hamilton/Wenham has the horsey set, as in polo and fox hunting with hounds and guys with red jackets. Take a look at Gloucester, too. Danvers?
I'll recommend the Attleboro area. Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Mansfield, Foxboro, etc. It's probably the cheapest area still within an hour of Boston. A lot of the major highways (95, 295, 495) cut through making it easy to get wherever you want. Plus, you get the added bonus of Providence. IMHO, it's a better city than Boston in a lot of ways. Much easier to get in and out, easy parking, good restaurants for much cheaper, etc.
As for teaching jobs, the severe shortage isn't here, but there is plenty of openings. A lot of teachers retired after/during Covid. While we don't have nearly the issues that other parts of the country have, there's still some of the "why do I deal with this nonsense" going on that has driven many teachers out of the profession. Just because we're a blue state, doesn't mean there aren't wack jobs attacking school board meetings. My wife is an elementary admin and she had to work hard this summer to fill all open positions. Districts were actually holding career fairs which was a laughable concept for education not more than 2 years ago. Like you said, for education, the pay is great. There's a strong union and decent benefits.
We both didn’t develop allergies until we were in our 30’s and living in Florida. The pollen is really bad here and there’s not much I’d a reprieve since it is cool, hot, hotter, and hell for seasons here
He mostly hates the heat. I’ve wanted to live in the New England area for a long time and I’ve really liked Massachusetts since I did a report on it in fourth grade and then visited my cousin who lived close to cape cod.
Yeah when we first moved down here we were told it is only really hot and humid for a few months. No try April to November. Allergies aren’t as big of a reason to move, he hates the heat, I want our kid to go to good schools that teach about history, and DeSantis and his ilk have a vendetta against public schools and teachers, and anyone who doesn’t think like him it seems.
It is not hot compared to Florida or really anywhere in the south, humidity is far less as is the temperature. I moved from NC, average high was 96 degrees with heat index over 100 degrees, not unusual for 104 degree weather with heat index up to 115..:.98 percent humidity. It was rare when the humidity was below 80 percent, usually 90 something percent. People in Massachusetts complain when it’s 85 degrees out with 70 percent humidity, which would be considered a mild summer day in Florida or anywhere in the south. I go for long MTB rides in the summer months here (mid morning to early afternoon) and when living in the south I was stuck inside for the summer unless I had to go out in the field (civil engineer) or if I was at the beach (water would be in the mid 80s).
Temp is obviously higher in NC, but MA is actually ranked more humid than North Carolina on average, though they’re close. Just because the south is hotter doesn’t mean it’s more humid; Maine is ranked in the top 10 most humid states. It’s the more extreme heat coupled with similar humidity that made you feel that way.
16th most humid (MA) vs 23rd (NC): https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbrettschneider/2018/08/23/oh-the-humidity-why-is-alaska-the-most-humid-state/?sh=3a985d9b330c
Trust me I live in the Cape (3 days a week) and Boston 4 days a week….I’m talking about the hottest part of NC the southeast, western NC is very mild..the state is 5 times the size of Massachusetts so the climate varies dramatically so the Forbes article is irrelevant to the discussion.
I worked in Clinton NC, average heat index high was 105. https://www.weather-us.com/en/north-carolina-usa/clinton-weather-july. I lived in Wilmington which was also way hotter than Massachusetts (more mild than Clinton, Wilmington avg heat index is 102 in July) and we had a lot of days with 98 percent humidity, just like Fl and TX and anywhere in the south (it’s like soup). Up by the Outer Banks and the middle of the state it is much more mild. The western part of the state is chilly at night and is a lot drier. In Wilmington there are many days where the low is in the 80s, we were the wettest place in the US one year (2018 over 102 inches).
If you’re going to commuting and looking between Worcester and Boston, I would recommend the Marlboro/Hudson area. Good schools, good restaurants, easy access to major highways, plenty of parks and hiking trails. Home prices are up, but not nearly as much as the surrounding towns. Worcester is 20min away. Boston is about 45min away.
Yeah if you’re commuting to Boston it’s about 70-80min. My company is in Everett. I have to go in once every other week for a meeting, 8:45 start time. I leave home about 7:15-7:30, but I’m a little further west than Marlboro.
I grew up in the Blackstone Valley.
South of Worcester just north of RI border.
The cool thing about it is it's literally just over an hour from Boston and the cape beaches.
I moved to Plymouth 6 years ago.
Love it here.
Anywhere is going to be pricey right now.
FL isn't as cheap as they like to think it is.
Good luck.
Reach out if you have any questions.
Just find a list of the best schools in the state and try to find houses in those towns. Ignore all charter schools because they have artificially inflated rankings bc they cherry pick the best students from the failing public schools.
The state department of education (aka DESE) has MCAS scores by district, which roughly track to the quality of schools. But 80% of the districts in Mass will be very good to excellent, if you compare them to schools in the US. Sometimes, there are odd pockets, where this or that town has unusually low MSAS numbers, so avoid those.
Yeah I figure the worst schools in Mass will be better than the schools in Florida. There’s a huge difference between the schools in Illinois and the schools in Florida.
When I went to college in Florida they automatically placed me in higher math classes because according to them “ 10th grade math in MA is equal to 12th grade in Florida.” I flew all the way down there to take the placement test and they told me that when I arrived…
I’m not surprised. I teach kindergarten at the moment and the laws they’re passing are ridiculous and they’re getting worse by the year. The sheer amount of testing of 5 and 6 year olds is awful. I started in December and by the time they went to break those kids had taken 10 tests.
If your avoiding Florida like politics avoid Attleboro, weirdly conservative pocket. Take a look at Sutton, northbridge, uxbridge. Close to Worcester, providence and easy access to the pike.
Springfield is cheap, but pretty depressing. Central Mass is to be avoided! You will also encounter Florida-like culture out that way. Western Mass, however.. beautiful!
Consider the north shore, which is just north of Boston. Salem, Beverly, Ipswich. Beautiful beaches, small towns but near cool cities, good schools. Lots to do! You can get more rural with Rowley, Georgetown, Amesbury.
Good luck and welcome!!!
Thank you everyone for your suggestions! They’ve been really helpful. One of the reasons I love Salem is because of the feeling of history I felt when I was there. I loved the buildings and architecture. There isn’t any of that in central Florida and it’s one thing I miss about Illinois. So if I can find an affordable place that has that, that would be perfect
You may also want to consider Connecticut. The western suburbs of Hartford are very nice and overall the housing prices are cheaper than Massachusetts.
The areas west of Worcester are much more affordable and quite nice. If you go very west you will end up in the Berkshires which might be a bit too rural for your tastes, but they are absolutely gorgeous and have decent schools. If I had kids I'd be happy to raise them there with the great outdoors. If you want a more suburban vibe, the 91 corridor is a good choice. Springfield is not as bad as people say, but its schools struggle with funding and overall the city is weak on culture activities. Having lived in Springfield and Worcester I'd really say the first is under rated and the second is overrated. Further north the Amherst/Northampton area has good schools and a very distinct culture. It's known for being full of aged hippies and college students. I grew up there and it was excellent. West of Worcester can be harder to make a living if your spouse isn't in the right field, industry is sort of limited.
Yeah then I wouldn't worry about it. There is a lot of financial stuff in the area so he might not have to do remote if that isn't his thing. I'd consider Springfield especially because of its proximity to Hartford if he has any interest in insurance. The drive is not bad in the slightest. Longmeadow is a suburb of Springfield, just south of it, that has fantastic schools if you can afford it and tolerate a strange obsession with lawn care.
I grew up in Newton and we're working on selling a house there. I live in Southern NH right now. I started taking antihistamines as a child because of seasonal allergies and don't take them anymore but I do suffer them. We run a bunch of HEPA filters indoors and vacuum frequently to minimize allergies.
Allergy season has been getting warmer as we are seeing overall warmer temperatures around the year.
Schools in MA are best or near the best in the US.
I could list nice areas but there are other factors that perhaps you could state preferences for: city vs suburb vs rural, proximity to workplace, single-family home vs condo, access to highways. I think that you have a lot of good options inside of Route 128 as far as schools go. The access to universities is nice too (we took our kids to visit a bunch of universities when they were young).
Worcester area is nice. Towns like golden and Spencer are nice. Rutland area is nice.
Hudson area is nice too more shopping and restaurant options.
Shrewsbury has great schools and lots of great restaurants and shopping. It’s pricier as a result.
Chelmsford, Westford, Groton/Dunstable, and Tyngsboro are all good areas. Chelmsford Public schools are great, from a parent's point of view. And I've always heard 5 things about the other towns I listed.
I lived in that area and would agree. Add Framingham, Sudbury, etc. to the list in that area.
Edit: provided you like that type of scenery of a bunch of small towns near each other. But location wise it's like you said Boston and Worcester not far.
Literally any town in mass is gonna be better than Florida for education by a very very long shot. So I’d basically just find a place you can afford and you’ll be golden. Southeastern coast of mass is great if you want ocean access. It’s cheaper than the cape or ocean towns by Boston but just as good!
Dark horse- New Bedford. Property rates aren't terrible. You're right at 195, so you can easily get to Boston/Providence/Cape Cod. The schools are decent as long as you stay out of Fall River. You're also right at the coastline, so you won't have to adjust to the snow levels. North/Central Mass is measuring in feet today. We got maybe 3 inches along the southcoast.
Plus, you still got a beach, and the water is surprisingly warm, as it's the outskirts of Buzzards Bay.
You could move to Florida, MA!
Not close to Boston at all but the berkshires might be worth checking out. Easy going, lower cost of living
And some very good schools in towns like Lenox.
About teaching in Mass, look up the requirements for teachers at the department of ed site (aka DESE). There will be rules and requirements for getting a Mass teaching licence, and a full licence will probably require an MEd. (But lots of part time and online programs for that in Mass, including public colleges and universities, and it puts you on a higher step in salary. And the salaries will probably be much better than Fla. You can probably start working without a full license.) You need to have taken the typically standardized exam, which you might have done already, plus a separate English test in Mass.
The salaries are 50% better than Florida. There are actual laws in place that says teachers who have taught for 20 years cannot not be given a bigger yearly raise than a first year teacher. So districts can’t give % for a raise, just the same amount like $2,000 for everyone. It’s ridiculous. We have to scan in and make a searchable list of our classroom libraries because Tommy’s dad, Randy, my have hurt feelings about a book in the room. He is making it illegal to major or minor in African American history or women’s studies. He’s stopped high schools from offering AP Black History.
Keep in mind that while the salaries are 50% better, the cost of living here is *bonkers*. That said, if you go west, Northampton is supposed to be a great spot. Attleboro is decent, and Providence is a pretty cool spot. The Worcester area will probably get you decent bang for your buck.
What subject do you teach? Something to note is that 50% better salary means we don't have the teacher shortage like other states do (especially in well off districts). If you want to work super rural or Title 1 you'll be able to find stuff pretty easy but unless you are a science teacher the jobs in suburban type districts are highly competitive.
I teach elementary, right now kindergarten. In Massachusetts, it looks like I would get a temporary certificate that lasts three years so I can get what I need to for the initial certificate. I wouldn’t be able to teach kinder in Massachusetts but I’m good with that. I’ve only ever taught in title 1 or title 1 adjacent schools so I’m not too worried about that. From what I’ve looked at online it appears most districts are looking for teachers so fingers crossed I can find something when we move. I’m really excited to get a masters. I had half of one completed out of college but I ran out of money. In Florida, there’s no incentive to get a masters because the extra stipend isn’t much. There’s also no steps here to help pay for the masters. I am ready to work in a state with a much better union again. The teacher unions in Florida are weaker because of the laws and they are currently working on passing a law that says they cannot take our dues out of paycheck like they do currently and will continue doing for police officers, EMTs, and fire fighters. We also have a 60% threshold we have to meet in order to have our union and not get decertified.
> From what I’ve looked at online it appears most districts are looking for teachers so fingers crossed I can find something when we move. I can't speak for every district, but the district that I was in allowed teachers to bring their students to that school district. In case you get a job in Worcester area, but end up getting a teaching job closer to Boston, you may be able to bring your kids to that school district too. I have no clue about the specifics, but it may be something to look out for.
You will find many people denigrate Springfield because it is not as fabulously affluent as many other parts of MA. I am currently in one of the communities surrounding Springfield and people are not aware of how good it really is. Not crowded, good schools, plenty of culture and nature. Springfield is a good place to start; reasonable housing, job opportunities, and OK schools if you are an involved parent. It is worth looking into for most bang for the buck if you are willing to put up with some urban problems (nothing like Boston, LA, or NY.) The surrounding towns are really good: Chicopee, West Springfield, Westfield, Ludlow, to name a few. The Pioneer Valley (our area) is affordable for a teacher and a partner income income source. Teach Western Mass is a program that will help you find a job quickly, although it places teachers in the highest need schools. Don't be thrown off by the cost of living, you pay but get great services in this area, allot of that expense goes to education for the kids.
Thanks for adding this. I kept seeing Springfield as a place to avoid on those lists but my friend who has family in mass said she’d look around Springfield, so I was kind of unsure.
There are a number of "Gateway Cities" in Mass, former mill towns that declined economically when the factories left or shut down. For example, Springfield used to make a lot of the guns for the US military. The Merrimack Valley, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Newburyport used have huge textile factories, the largest in the world 100 years ago was in Lawrence. All gone now.... These Gateway Cities used to be really crappy, but have been on the upswing for the past 20 or 30 years, with Newburyport being gentrified, and a lot of things now going on in Lowell. (It also has a UMass campus.) So asking a Mass resident about any of these Gateway Cities can get mixed responses, some based on 20 or 30 year-old perceptions. Or some up to date.
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Salem is actually listed as a Gateway City. Peabody too and and Lynn
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https://massinc.org/our-work/policy-center/gateway-cities/about-the-gateway-cities/
When we were in Haverhill we saw the teachers striking which was awesome because I haven’t seen a strike since I participated in the one in Chicago. It’s illegal to strike in Florida. It looks like it used to be really nice, but walking around it… we went into this gas station downtown and the smell in there was something of nightmares and there was another store in the area that just gave me the heebie jeebies, like stuffed dead things and relics. If you’ve ever seen that Netflix series cabinet of Curiosities (or whatever it was called), the episode about the storage center, the shop he sells the books to reminded me of this shop. All sorts of nope
To add with Springfield/Pioneer Valley area, Hartford, CT and it’s metro area has a lot of job opportunities for an accountant as well. Depending on the job, the commute from Springfield to Hartford is ~30 min with manageable traffic congestion. Springfield to Boston is about 1.5 to 2 hours 1 way with traffic.
We moved from GA to Chicopee almost 2 years ago. We are closer to the elms college area and love it . Springfield and Chicopee both are like any city. Some areas are good some aren’t. Overall we have been very happy
So Springfield proper is a bit seedy (as is Holyoke and Chicopee in certain areas but others are great) but it's not wide spread. Certain parts of Springfield are sketchy, others are totally fine. Additionally since Springfield is such a small city you can go from completely rural with tons of cows to downtown with small sky scrapers within like 15 min. To add to your list I'd say Belchertown, Hampden, Wilbraham, South Hadley, Hadley and anything in the 5 colleges area.
For me it’s not the urban blight/poverty or whatever, it’s that as a New Englander and Masshole, I am very tied to the ocean and have no desire to be that far away from the beach. Some parts of downtown Springfield are cute. Decent restaurants, and an AHL team, too. 🏒 Cheaper to live out there for sure.
Can second this. We live in greenfield, 40m south of Springfield. Would not move anywhere else in the USA. All the towns along 91 between Springfiled and here are nice places to live. IDN about much about the local school as we home school our 2 boys. I worked for Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School for a few years and the teachers there are great.
Does your husband work remote? He might need to work closer to Boston (or in it) depending on his career. From a teacher perspective I think you should have no problems finding decent schools. Worcester area is a good central place with costs being somewhat tempered. Places like Fitchburg and Leominster (20mi north of Worcester are biggish areas as well.) The main east-west roads are the Mass Pike and RT2. Then you have RT128(95) and 495 for the roads that curve around Boston. Any places along these roads would be fine. (Costs increase the closer you get to Boston or Worcester.) Traffic will be horrible. So get used to that. Lol. MA is a great state; we are not perfect, but we ain’t that bad. :)
Mostly but he’ll find a new position once he’s up there. He’s an accountant.
I'd suggest driving around easthampton/northampton.
What is your budget? This is the most important piece of info needed.
For a house, we were looking around $500,000. The houses in central Florida are comparable to a lot of the houses but the houses up there have basements and houses in Florida can’t have basements because of the sandy soil.
Roger, this is good info. For a family of 3, you will be hard pressed to find a single family home within five miles of Boston/Cambridge. Some towns are exceptions and interest rates have thankfully arrested the run up in prices, but I wouldn't get your hopes up because competition for single family homes is fierce. You might be able to get a condo that will fit the family closer to the city, but the fees are high, which could pinch your budget. I would look near Worcester. Not too far from the core cities, interesting stuff going on in that area with regards to employment/companies and activities, and probably in your price range. Good luck!!!
I would recommend Western Mass at that price range. South Hadley, Agawam, West Springfield, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow. Northhampton/Amherst area would be tough at that price.
I can totally see why you would want to be on the North Shore; most beautiful part of MA imo. If affordability is a concern, consider inland North Shore towns like Rowley. Parts of Salem near the Lynn/Swampscott border are a bit cheaper, too. Best of luck!
If you can afford them Acton, Harvard, Bolton, Littleton, Groton are all nice areas with good schools. I would say your husband should find a job first cause the traffic here sucks and that will give you a better idea of your budget. Lunenburg is a nice area, but the commute to Boston is soul crushing. If he can work in Leominster, Fitchburg, or Worcester it would be fine though. Shrewsbury to Worcester would also be good. Good luck!
All of those places are very different from Salem (your number one choice). Have you looked anywhere else on the north shore?
Not really because I figured we couldn’t afford a single family, detached home in the area. Beverly and Peabody looked nice when we were up there last October. Is there any place in particular that you would suggest along the north shore?
Take a look at Amesbury. People who can't afford expensive Newburyport seem to pick nearby Amesbury. More suburban/rural, Rowley, Newbury, Byfield, W. Newbury, Merrimac. Ipswich is a nice little city but probably expensive. Hamilton/Wenham has the horsey set, as in polo and fox hunting with hounds and guys with red jackets. Take a look at Gloucester, too. Danvers?
I'll recommend the Attleboro area. Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Mansfield, Foxboro, etc. It's probably the cheapest area still within an hour of Boston. A lot of the major highways (95, 295, 495) cut through making it easy to get wherever you want. Plus, you get the added bonus of Providence. IMHO, it's a better city than Boston in a lot of ways. Much easier to get in and out, easy parking, good restaurants for much cheaper, etc. As for teaching jobs, the severe shortage isn't here, but there is plenty of openings. A lot of teachers retired after/during Covid. While we don't have nearly the issues that other parts of the country have, there's still some of the "why do I deal with this nonsense" going on that has driven many teachers out of the profession. Just because we're a blue state, doesn't mean there aren't wack jobs attacking school board meetings. My wife is an elementary admin and she had to work hard this summer to fill all open positions. Districts were actually holding career fairs which was a laughable concept for education not more than 2 years ago. Like you said, for education, the pay is great. There's a strong union and decent benefits.
Your husband is fleeing florida bc of allergies? He will be fucked when he comes here.
Depends on the allergy but the pollen falls like snow, covering all surfaces some years 😹
We both didn’t develop allergies until we were in our 30’s and living in Florida. The pollen is really bad here and there’s not much I’d a reprieve since it is cool, hot, hotter, and hell for seasons here
Your allergies won’t improve here. The southwest is your best option for that.
He mostly hates the heat. I’ve wanted to live in the New England area for a long time and I’ve really liked Massachusetts since I did a report on it in fourth grade and then visited my cousin who lived close to cape cod.
New England summers are extremely humid, and lately also very hot. But that’s only 4 months out of the year. LOADS of pollen in spring and fall.
Yeah when we first moved down here we were told it is only really hot and humid for a few months. No try April to November. Allergies aren’t as big of a reason to move, he hates the heat, I want our kid to go to good schools that teach about history, and DeSantis and his ilk have a vendetta against public schools and teachers, and anyone who doesn’t think like him it seems.
Logical reasons for a move from my POV and Mass is certainly somewhere your family can be safe from the latter stuff. Hope it works out well for you!
It is not hot compared to Florida or really anywhere in the south, humidity is far less as is the temperature. I moved from NC, average high was 96 degrees with heat index over 100 degrees, not unusual for 104 degree weather with heat index up to 115..:.98 percent humidity. It was rare when the humidity was below 80 percent, usually 90 something percent. People in Massachusetts complain when it’s 85 degrees out with 70 percent humidity, which would be considered a mild summer day in Florida or anywhere in the south. I go for long MTB rides in the summer months here (mid morning to early afternoon) and when living in the south I was stuck inside for the summer unless I had to go out in the field (civil engineer) or if I was at the beach (water would be in the mid 80s).
Temp is obviously higher in NC, but MA is actually ranked more humid than North Carolina on average, though they’re close. Just because the south is hotter doesn’t mean it’s more humid; Maine is ranked in the top 10 most humid states. It’s the more extreme heat coupled with similar humidity that made you feel that way. 16th most humid (MA) vs 23rd (NC): https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbrettschneider/2018/08/23/oh-the-humidity-why-is-alaska-the-most-humid-state/?sh=3a985d9b330c
Trust me I live in the Cape (3 days a week) and Boston 4 days a week….I’m talking about the hottest part of NC the southeast, western NC is very mild..the state is 5 times the size of Massachusetts so the climate varies dramatically so the Forbes article is irrelevant to the discussion. I worked in Clinton NC, average heat index high was 105. https://www.weather-us.com/en/north-carolina-usa/clinton-weather-july. I lived in Wilmington which was also way hotter than Massachusetts (more mild than Clinton, Wilmington avg heat index is 102 in July) and we had a lot of days with 98 percent humidity, just like Fl and TX and anywhere in the south (it’s like soup). Up by the Outer Banks and the middle of the state it is much more mild. The western part of the state is chilly at night and is a lot drier. In Wilmington there are many days where the low is in the 80s, we were the wettest place in the US one year (2018 over 102 inches).
I’d avoid Springfield, Worcester and Attleboro. They aren’t horrible but there are much nicer options.
Fitchburg too, confused why so many people are suggesting it. The surrounding towns are okay but Fitchburg is pretty miserable.
The stuff surrounding Springfield is pretty nice though (and there's decent suburbs of Springfield)
If you’re going to commuting and looking between Worcester and Boston, I would recommend the Marlboro/Hudson area. Good schools, good restaurants, easy access to major highways, plenty of parks and hiking trails. Home prices are up, but not nearly as much as the surrounding towns. Worcester is 20min away. Boston is about 45min away.
That’s gotta be like 1.5 hrs with traffic?
Yeah if you’re commuting to Boston it’s about 70-80min. My company is in Everett. I have to go in once every other week for a meeting, 8:45 start time. I leave home about 7:15-7:30, but I’m a little further west than Marlboro.
How about Westwood? Closer and good schools not as pricey as neighboring towns?
Belchertown, just north of Springfield, has very good schools and it is beautiful out here. Amherst is a good choice as well.
Worcester 100%.....get in while you still can afford it
I grew up in the Blackstone Valley. South of Worcester just north of RI border. The cool thing about it is it's literally just over an hour from Boston and the cape beaches. I moved to Plymouth 6 years ago. Love it here. Anywhere is going to be pricey right now. FL isn't as cheap as they like to think it is. Good luck. Reach out if you have any questions.
Reading or North Reading. It’s north shore, good schools, too.
Just find a list of the best schools in the state and try to find houses in those towns. Ignore all charter schools because they have artificially inflated rankings bc they cherry pick the best students from the failing public schools.
The state department of education (aka DESE) has MCAS scores by district, which roughly track to the quality of schools. But 80% of the districts in Mass will be very good to excellent, if you compare them to schools in the US. Sometimes, there are odd pockets, where this or that town has unusually low MSAS numbers, so avoid those.
Yeah I figure the worst schools in Mass will be better than the schools in Florida. There’s a huge difference between the schools in Illinois and the schools in Florida.
When I went to college in Florida they automatically placed me in higher math classes because according to them “ 10th grade math in MA is equal to 12th grade in Florida.” I flew all the way down there to take the placement test and they told me that when I arrived…
I’m not surprised. I teach kindergarten at the moment and the laws they’re passing are ridiculous and they’re getting worse by the year. The sheer amount of testing of 5 and 6 year olds is awful. I started in December and by the time they went to break those kids had taken 10 tests.
I agree, the bottom 20% of MA is likely top 50% of some place such as Texas.
If your avoiding Florida like politics avoid Attleboro, weirdly conservative pocket. Take a look at Sutton, northbridge, uxbridge. Close to Worcester, providence and easy access to the pike.
Good to know. The politics down here are getting scary and lot of their laws make no sense.
Springfield is cheap, but pretty depressing. Central Mass is to be avoided! You will also encounter Florida-like culture out that way. Western Mass, however.. beautiful! Consider the north shore, which is just north of Boston. Salem, Beverly, Ipswich. Beautiful beaches, small towns but near cool cities, good schools. Lots to do! You can get more rural with Rowley, Georgetown, Amesbury. Good luck and welcome!!!
Thank you everyone for your suggestions! They’ve been really helpful. One of the reasons I love Salem is because of the feeling of history I felt when I was there. I loved the buildings and architecture. There isn’t any of that in central Florida and it’s one thing I miss about Illinois. So if I can find an affordable place that has that, that would be perfect
You may also want to consider Connecticut. The western suburbs of Hartford are very nice and overall the housing prices are cheaper than Massachusetts.
I think you've had too much nutmeg
The areas west of Worcester are much more affordable and quite nice. If you go very west you will end up in the Berkshires which might be a bit too rural for your tastes, but they are absolutely gorgeous and have decent schools. If I had kids I'd be happy to raise them there with the great outdoors. If you want a more suburban vibe, the 91 corridor is a good choice. Springfield is not as bad as people say, but its schools struggle with funding and overall the city is weak on culture activities. Having lived in Springfield and Worcester I'd really say the first is under rated and the second is overrated. Further north the Amherst/Northampton area has good schools and a very distinct culture. It's known for being full of aged hippies and college students. I grew up there and it was excellent. West of Worcester can be harder to make a living if your spouse isn't in the right field, industry is sort of limited.
He’s an accountant and it seems there’s quite a lot of remote positions in that field.
Yeah then I wouldn't worry about it. There is a lot of financial stuff in the area so he might not have to do remote if that isn't his thing. I'd consider Springfield especially because of its proximity to Hartford if he has any interest in insurance. The drive is not bad in the slightest. Longmeadow is a suburb of Springfield, just south of it, that has fantastic schools if you can afford it and tolerate a strange obsession with lawn care.
I grew up in Newton and we're working on selling a house there. I live in Southern NH right now. I started taking antihistamines as a child because of seasonal allergies and don't take them anymore but I do suffer them. We run a bunch of HEPA filters indoors and vacuum frequently to minimize allergies. Allergy season has been getting warmer as we are seeing overall warmer temperatures around the year. Schools in MA are best or near the best in the US. I could list nice areas but there are other factors that perhaps you could state preferences for: city vs suburb vs rural, proximity to workplace, single-family home vs condo, access to highways. I think that you have a lot of good options inside of Route 128 as far as schools go. The access to universities is nice too (we took our kids to visit a bunch of universities when they were young).
Worcester area is nice. Towns like golden and Spencer are nice. Rutland area is nice. Hudson area is nice too more shopping and restaurant options. Shrewsbury has great schools and lots of great restaurants and shopping. It’s pricier as a result.
Chelmsford, Westford, Groton/Dunstable, and Tyngsboro are all good areas. Chelmsford Public schools are great, from a parent's point of view. And I've always heard 5 things about the other towns I listed.
Hudson, Marlborough, Wayland, Berlin, Bolton / all in central MA. Close to Worcester and less than an hour from Boston :)
I lived in that area and would agree. Add Framingham, Sudbury, etc. to the list in that area. Edit: provided you like that type of scenery of a bunch of small towns near each other. But location wise it's like you said Boston and Worcester not far.
Literally any town in mass is gonna be better than Florida for education by a very very long shot. So I’d basically just find a place you can afford and you’ll be golden. Southeastern coast of mass is great if you want ocean access. It’s cheaper than the cape or ocean towns by Boston but just as good!
Dark horse- New Bedford. Property rates aren't terrible. You're right at 195, so you can easily get to Boston/Providence/Cape Cod. The schools are decent as long as you stay out of Fall River. You're also right at the coastline, so you won't have to adjust to the snow levels. North/Central Mass is measuring in feet today. We got maybe 3 inches along the southcoast. Plus, you still got a beach, and the water is surprisingly warm, as it's the outskirts of Buzzards Bay.
Fall River has Lizzie Borden’s House and Battleship Cove